Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. ' Housekeepers' Chat. Subject: "The School Lunch Box." Lunch Box combinations and recipe for Maryland Beaten Biscuit from Bureau of Eome Economics, U.S. I). A. Bulletins available; School Lunches. — 00C00 — One day recently I saw a cartoon which struck a responsive chord in my heart. It was a "Why Mothers Get Gray" cartoon. In this picture, the mother was down on her knees, scrubbing the kitchen floor. Of course, this was the very time when every member of the family thought of something he wanted in the kitchen. There was Dad, saying: "I'm dyin' for a smoke, Ma. I left my pipe on the kitchen cabinet. This is dry enough to walk on I guess, eh?" There was Sonny: "I'm half dead fer a drink, Ma. Is this dry here over to the sink?" And Daughter: "Why, uh — I won't come in, Ma — but will you please hand me that can of talc out of t xie caDmet? The exasperated mother, who like as not had been trying ail morning to . get to her scrubbing, said, with fine sarcasm: "Yes, Yes! Come on in, the water's fine! Some people think that 42nd Street and fifth Avenue is the busiest spot in the world, but it isn't — it ' s a kitchen when it's being scrubbed I " No wonder "mothers get gray." What with scrubbing, and cooking, and sewing, and packing school lunches. I figured out this morning that I'd have to pack one hundred and eighty school lunches this year, if Billy goes to school as regularly as he should. It's going to be a problem, to make 180 lunches appetizing and nutritious enough for a little boy. Fortunately, Billy's school supplies the children with milk, hot soup, or cocoa at noon, so I don't have to include these foods, in the lunch box. This morning I'm going to give you a half dozen lunch box combinations, worked out by the Menu Specialist. Want to write them down, in your Radio Records? They're worth keeping, for the days when it's so hard to think of something "different" to put in Junior's lunch box. Let's write them — the six lunch-box combinations: (Read slowly). Number 1. Bacon and lettuce sandwiches; a ripe pear; and oatmeal cookies. Friday, October 12, 1928 NOT FOR PUBLICATION 1 . , »- R-H.C. 10/12/28 Number 2. Sandwhiches of cottage cheese and chopped cabbage on raisin bread, cr cottage cheese and chopped cabbage and raisins on plain bread; a ripe tomato; and plain cake. Number 3» Sandwhiches of ground peanuts mixed with cream, on graham bread; raw celery; and baked custard. Number 4. Chopped egg sandwiches; a cube of cheese; and an apple tart. Number 5. Sandwiches of sliced cold roast meat (beef, lamb, pork, or chicken) with a leaf of lettuce in each; a few potato chips; dried figs or dates; and spice cake. Number 6. Sandwiches of cooked fish, moistened with a little mayonnaise or chili sauce if needed; a juicy, red apple; and ginger cookies. All of these lunches are to be supplemented with milk, hot soup, cocoa, or a beverage made of fresh fruit juices. The sandwhiches for the lunch usually represent the bulk of the meal. Instead of trying to change the filling each day, sometimes I change the type of bread. Whole cereal breads may be used; orange oread, which is flavored with the peeling of the orange; and nut or raisin bread. Rolls and biscuits, too, have the same food value as loaf breads. Yfnen you make sandwiches for children, cut the bread evenly, not especially thin, out in nice, even slices. Butter both slices of bread to form a coating, and keep the filling from soak- ing into the bread. And don't forget to put enough salt in the sandwich fill- ings, 'tihen the sandwiches are made, cut them into two or three pieces. They will be easier to handle, and more attractive. Cut them into different shapes sometimes, too, for the sake of variety. It is hardly necessary to repeat that school lunches should be packed as neatly as possible, in clean, well- ventilated containers. Paper napkins, waxed paper, paper cups and jelly glasses are part of the school lunch equip- ment . There's one thing I'd like to add, before I leave the subject of school lunches; in addition to making the school lunch as attractive and nutritious as possible, try to include an element of surprise for the child. A surprise package may contain a few nuts, raisins, dates or figs, a special cooky or tart, animal crackers, or some other favorite article of food. The "surprise," of course, is to be saved till the last. I shall answer just one question today. It is from a listener who wants to know how to make old-fashioned Maryland Beaten Biscuit. So please take your Radio Records, turn to the recipe section, and let's write the recipe for Maryland Beaten Biscuit. Four ingredients, for Maryland Beaten Biscuit; -2- f H-H.C. 10/12/28 2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons fat, and l/3 cup cold water Four ingredients. Let's repeat them, please: (Repeat) To make the biscuits, sift the flour and salt. Hub in the fat with the tips of the fingers. When well mixed, add enough cold water to make a stiff dough. Knead until smooth. Beat with a rolling pin or potato masher, for fifteen minutes, or "until the dough blisters. Pinch off small pieces of the dough, and after rolling into a ball, flatten out by pressing with the thumb in the center of the ball. Prick with a fork, place in a lightly greased pan, and chill for one-half hour. Bake from 35 to 45 minutes in a fairly hot oven (400°P. ) at first, then reduce the temperature to 325op. Continue the cooking until the biscuits are very light brown. That's all, till tomorrow. The subject of our next talk is "A Safe Reducing Diet. " By the way, if you want more information on lunches for school children, send for the free bulletin called "School Lunches." -3- : -b '->'■■■: